Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders Discussion Forum has called on security agencies to call the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to order over what they call his penchant for Violence.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, Muhammad Imam said a peaceful state like Kebbi should not be thrown into chaos as a result of the activities of political actors like Malami.
According to him, “We are saddened and greatly worried about recent violent political development in our polity, especially in Kebbi State, a relatively peaceful State, hence the need to address you and raise this alarm before the situation worsens.
Nigeria is a fledgling democracy. Though some would rather not call democracy, but civil rule. But by whatever name anyone may call it, Nigeria’s democracy as it is enjoyed today was not given on a platter of gold. Some people paid prices; some with their freedom and others ultimately with their lives.
We are highly concerned and disturbed with these violent acts which require prompt attention and action from security agencies.
There is no gainsaying that our region has been plagued by various forms of insecurity such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and farmer-herder conflicts. While these issues are fueled by factors such as poverty, unemployment, corruption, and poor governance, in some places they gain political colouration.
Most recent are the happenings in Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Kogi. In all these K-States, the opposition coalition ADC featured prominently with accusations and counter accusations. But Kebbi stands out, especially with a key figure in the person of Abubakar Malami former Attorney General and Minister of Justice at the centre of it.
He was material to the 2014 APC coalition, and also now in the ADC coalition. But this was not the way it was done in 2014. The violence thus far exhibited and the threatening languages call for concern.
In Kaduna the Police were proactive and issued a ban on political gatherings, but that cannot be said of Kebbi State. We are seriously concerned here. Even after petitioning the Police Service Commission and sending legal representatives, the Police insisted on the appearance of the former Governor in person.
It is common knowledge that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC is yet to lift the embargo on campaigns. So why would unruly politicians heat up the polity with violence in the face of the myriad of challenges Northern Nigeria today faces?
So, we are therefore calling on the security and intelligence community to reassert their duty in Kebbi State like in Kaduna by calling especially Abubakar Malami to order. A state like Kebbi or any other state in the North, nay Nigeria can ill afford any political violence that would worsen already bad security situations with serious consequences for the country and beyond.
Contrary to Malami’s claim, the video of his arrival at the airport, his language and the manner of the youth brandishing weapons that received and escorted him into the town, leading to a violent clash did not show a man on a condolence visit as he claimed.
Ordinarily, as a former number one law officer of the Federation, Malami should have sought Police protection considering the crowd of youth that he mobilised to relieve him. But he rather relied on the weapon brandishing youth.
Political actors like Malami need to be a focus of the security and intelligence community to avert anything untoward.
Much as we are not ignorant of any individual or group’s right to freedom of expression and association in line with democratic norms, it must not be at the cost of peace and stability of a state like Kebbi, our region or the country.
The escalation of political violence in Northern Nigeria as seen with actors like Malami, is a threat to democratic stability, with potential consequences for the nation’s fragile democracy.
So, to the security and intelligence community, the time to act to ensure a relatively peaceful state like Kebbi is not thrown into chaos by individuals like Malami is now, to nip it in the bud.
